A woman who was signed off work to grieve the death of her beloved pet Labrador says it was like losing a child.
Wendy O'Grady, 47, from Egham in Surrey, says people need to be more understanding and thoughtful when people lose a pet, after her beloved Zac took his last breath.
Her husband Mike first brought the chocolate Lab home in 2009 - and he was like a surrogate child to the pair, who could not have children.
But when Zac was diagnosed with cancer at nearly 12 years old in July, they made the gut wrenching decision to have him put down.
Wendy said: "Losing Zac was just like losing a child.
“I can’t even explain the grief. We were inconsolable. After 12 years, to not see him come to the door when I came home was heart-breaking.”
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When Mike first brought Zac home from a farm in Wales, the couple were feeling low after Wendy had suffered 10 miscarriages in 15 years.
"I just couldn’t conceive and we were having a rough time," Wendy said.
"So, when Mike bought Zac home, he completely lit up our lives. It was instant connection.
"The first moment I saw him, as we sat in the back seat of the car, I fell in love with his sweet nature."
It wasn't long before Zac was at the centre of the couple's lives, with Wendy describing him as "our baby."
She said Mike would take Zac to Egham Town FC, where he became a familiar face.
“He was full of love and made us into a family,” she said
In 2012, the couple also adopted black Labrador and pointer cross Purdy, now 10.
"Zac and Purdy got along so well, they became instant friends," she said.
But in July of this year, Zac became unable to walk properly. After taking him to the vet, Wendy and Mike were told he had cancer in his spine.
Do you think people should get time off work after losing a pet? Have your say in the comment section below.
"His spine was literally crumbling away, there was nothing anyone could do," she said.
Despite being given medication, Zac's condition didn't improve and the couple slept downstairs with him for five nights.
Heartbroken Wendy replied: “On the last night, nine days after he became unwell, he wasn’t himself. He was sick and wetting himself and we just looked at each other and said we can’t let him continue.”
She and Mike made the difficult decision to put Zac down on 12 July, and afterwards they were hit with awful grief.
“I can’t describe what it felt like. Purdy was devastated. She even came to the vets with us to say goodbye and gave Zac a kiss," Wendy said.
“The grief was so bad that I was signed off work for two weeks. Zac was like my child, he was the glue that held our family together.”
But after Zac died, Wendy had trouble opening up to people about her grief, claiming people seemed uncomfortable when she brought it up.
"I think it would have been helpful if they had addressed what Mike and I were going through," she said.
After losing Zac, Wendy's stress was intensified when one of her relatives went into hospital in the same week.
The emotional toll caused Wendy's autoimmune condition, Sjogren's syndrome, to flare up.
The condition affects parts of the body that produce fluids, like tears and saliva - and can lead to dry eyes and a dry mouth.
“If we had a bad day or I was feeling unwell before, Zac would be there," she said. "It was devastating going through it without him.”
Wendy and Mike have made sure Zac is never forgotten and have kept his memory alive since he died.
She said: "We’ve done a lot in Zac’s memory. We keep his ashes in the living room so he’s always with us. Friends had cushions and plates made with his face on so he really is all around us."
In their sadness, the couple found joy this month when a family member gave them a new puppy, Zebedee.
“He’s only nine weeks old, my mother-in-law got him for us as an anniversary gift and we picked him up a few days ago," Wendy said. "He’s really amazing, he boings and bounces everywhere.”
But she stressed that, as much as they adore Zebedee, he's not a replacement for their beloved Zac.
“He’s a new addition to our family, but we are still grieving for Zac. I get home from work and still expect him to run out and greet me.”
Pet wellness company Itch, which is campaigning for UK companies to provide compassionate leave for pet owners, says over half of UK pet owners liken their pet to losing a family member.
Wendy hopes that sharing her story will help others understand how devastating it can be to lose a pet.
She said: "I think people should be more open and just talk about it. We lost a member of our family and I think it should be addressed."
Do you have a story to share? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com.
